The Obvious Answer
by muerte'chan o.O
Summary: Rukia couldn't believe how she didn't think of this sooner. She could see him, but he couldn't see her. Hah. It took her 2 months and a meeting for her to see the obvious. OOC-nesss for Rukia, uber-angsty *SPOILERS 423*
1. Chapter 1: The Awakening

**This popped into my head last night and I thought I'd write it out.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own the characters, only their actions.**

**Rukia's POV**

_:: Flashback::  
"Thank you." He looked up at the sky and I knew he could no longer see me. Tears started to finally come out… at least he never had to see me cry. I turned around to go through the open gate home. Hah, I have no home. The entire Soul Society once tried to kill me, now it held nothing for me. I had everything I ever wanted, everything I needed, in the World of the Living. A normal life that I never got the chance to have. A family, one that wanted you. Not a deceased sister who left you on the streets as a baby. He gave me that. He shared his family, his lifestyle, and now he couldn't see me. With one last look back, I walked through the gate. He was crying. I was through the gate before I heard him screaming. But not too far away for me to hear him calling, no pleading, my name.  
"RRRRUUUUUUKKKKIIIIIII-" __**Door Close**__  
"… Thank you."  
I couldn't stay here, and watch him suffer. There was nothing we could do for him. No way for him to regain his powers. Nothing, nothing…  
:: End of Flashback::_

It had been only 2 months, but it was still there. The pain the loss. And for some reason, rejection. I had been in my quarter's everyday, refusing to do my job, to eat, or to talk to anyone other than Ukitake-taicho.  
"Rukia… are you in here?"  
"Ohayo, Ukitake-taicho." I was glad he came. He did most of the talking, and sometimes I listened. I didn't know why I was in depression. I think I was in shock for the first week, and I didn't care enough to fight it. So it consumed me. Today, I listened.  
"Ohayo, Rukia-san." He had insisted on calling me Kuchiki-san, but after a month of that I finally broke him down and he stopped doing that. "Someone's here to see you." For a split second, I imagined a shock of orange hair was coming through the door, but nothing happened. Ukitake-taicho sensed the flare in my reistsu, and chuckled a little.  
"I don't care. I don't want to see anyone." The last person who came to see me was Mayuri-taicho, and he claimed to have found a way to bring 'his' powers back. (He had been forewarned about saying his name. The last person who said that was Renji, and it ended badly for him.)

_:: Flashback::_  
_"Hello, Kuchiki-san!"  
"Go 'way, I don't want to talk…"  
"Ahh.. But you will yet. For I have found a way to get Ichi-erm… his powers back!" Under my depressed-anger glare he sped up his speech. But he took it as a sign to carry on.  
"First, we locate him in the World of the living. Then, after we kill him, we attach this sensor on his ne-"  
"STOP! ARE YOU CRAZY? You can't kill him! He has a life! A real one, not hindered by ghosts or hollows! This is what he wanted all along… to be undisturbed…" I turned away from him. He tried to continue talking, but Ukitake-taicho and Shunsui-taicho wrestled him out._ _  
:: End of Flashback::_

"No, not again.." I think Ukitake-taicho could feel my flashback and said:  
"It's not him again. It's your brother." In the 2 months that I've been keeping myself imprisoned in my room, he had never sent word to see if I was ok, or came to see me. Nii-sama.  
"Wha-"He too was a wreck. A somewhat still noble wreck. He wasn't wearing his scarf.  
"Rukia, we need to talk. It's unhealthy to keep yourse-OOF" I tackle hugged him and we both fell to the ground. The tears I had locked away weeks after I condemned myself broke free.  
"I'm.. so-sorry, Nii-sama.." I was sobbing now. I knew it was bad to show emotion on front of my brother but I couldn't help it.  
"Rukia. Rukia, I was sent here to talk to you about that Kurosaki boy."  
"Nii-sama, don't-"  
"No, Rukia, listen. I am part of an alliance called The Kurosaki Relieve." **(A/N I know the name sucks go with it) ** "It consists of some of the smartest Shinigami in Seiretei to find a way to rekindle the spiritual powers in him. He was a great asset to us, and we cannot sit by and wait for him to die. We want your presence at our next meeting. You will attend, and be presentable. I'll send a hell butterfly for you tonight. Sayonara, Rukia." Then he smiled. The real Byakuya smile. Not the Kuchiki one he was taught. I felt something stir in me I hadn't felt before. I knew I couldn't hide anymore.


	2. Chapter 2: Hell Butterfly

**Thanks for the response you guys gave me!**

**Disclaimer: Don't even ask. **

_::Flashback::  
"Nii-sama!"  
"You will attend, and be presentable. I will send a hell butterfly for you tonight. Sayonara, Rukia"  
::End of Flashback::_

After he left, I think I went into another round of shock. I sat there for a while, and after a few minutes Ukitake-taicho actually hit me. He _hit me._ It didn't hurt, but it worked. I stood up quickly, and began running around my room. There was so much to be done! I needed to do laundry and have a shower and... Oh what time was it? WHAT? Holy shit. I really had to move it. I only had 2 hours until the hell butterfly came. Of course I was guessing since he never actually told me what time it was coming. Just like Nii-sama.

I never noticed Ukitake-taicho slip out. Or run out. I had started changing right in front of him, and I think my shirt actually landed on him. Oops. I laughed to myself. Ichigo would think-

What the hell Rukia?  
You couldn't think of him. Not now. You had to focus. Out of the corner of my eye I saw a flutter of black come through the window I had opened for it. It was time.

I followed the butterfly, since I didn't know where I was going. On the walk, I was thinking about... him. I knew that was a mistake, but once I started I couldn't stop. I couldn't even say his name. And now I was going to a meeting _about _him. I was going to hear it. Talk about him. Maybe even see pictures of him. I couldn't do it. I can't. I turned myself around and started to run. Run away, just like I had been doing all along. I didn't get ten steps before I ran into a wall of pink. It smelled like roses. What the hell… I looked up, and I saw Shunsui-taicho grinning down on me. Shit.

"Yare Yare, Rukia-chan. You didn't last half as long as I thought!"  
"You, you were following me?" He turned me back around and slung his arm around my shoulders. In my haste to leave I forgot to wear a sweater.  
"Of course. It was your brother's idea." I quietly followed along, nodding to myself. He didn't think I would make it. So he sent Shunsui-taicho to make sure I did. I sighed to myself, thinking about anything other than him. Or the meeting. I thought about my friends, and how they used to come to see me everyday. Only I never said hi to them. Never let them in. I pushed them away from me. I pushed everything away.

_::Flashback::  
__**Knock Knock  
**__"C'mon, Rukia! Come outside. We can practice together!"  
Renji. _ _I couldn't fight. It only reminded me of how many times he fought to save me.  
"Rukia-chan. We understand what your going through. We all left someone behind in the World of the living when we died."  
Kiyone and Isane. I wouldn't come out. They didn't understand. They would only pretend they did to make me feel better. That reminded me of how I had to lie to my human friends.  
"Can I come in, Kuchiki-san? I, uh, I brought you some food. I made it myself!"  
Inoue-san. I could hear the enthusiasm in her voice. But I knew of her unrequited love for him. I could see him in her eyes. I won't come out. Ever.  
::End of Flashback::_

We turned the corner to the first divisions barracks. That kind of surprised me. Soutaicho was in on this too? Wow…  
"Well, here we are! We're kinda late, Rukia-chan, so we'll just sneak in…" I just nodded. My heart was beating fast. Tonight was the night I finally stopped pushing everything away, and walked into their arms. 

**R+R**


	3. Chapter 3: You bastard

**Thanks for the reviews and for putting me on your story/author alerts. Feels good for a second fic :D  
Warning: Some more OOC-ness in some characters, I'm not telling you which ones. That would be a spoiler. I **_**HATE **_** spoilers…**

Disclaimer: Hmm? What? Kubo Tite left me Bleach in his will? How nice… WAIT… HES DEAD?

**_**

Ichigo's POV  
_  
:: Flashback::  
It's been a month and a half, and I still hurt. I haven't cried since that first night. After that I decided, well, not to forget, but also not to think about her. Rukia. Kuchiki Rukia. Yah that was her name. Still is I guess. But, not thinking about her just, it was too hard. I could wake up everyday and go to school. But once I got there, she was everywhere. Especially in my friends eyes. I couldn't take it. So, I decided to move. I wouldn't tell anyone where I was going, they would just follow me, pressuring me to come back. It's not like I would never see them again. I'd visit. Now, off to the city, to my new apartment. My dad had figured I'd need to leave, so he bought me a small one in Tokyo. He was smarted than one would think, what with the crazy exterior. With one last look back, I boarded the train. Goodbye, Karakura Town.  
:: End of Flashback::_

Dammit. I forgot to close the blinds again… I rolled over and turned my alarm clock off ten minutes before it went off. I huffed as I got out of bed. Or, to be honest, _fell_ out of bed. Whatever. Rather the pain in my knee than the one in my heart. And I stopped the thought in an instant. I had been getting good at that, not thinking if Rukia. I could say her name now, too. I realized it might have been a little childish to leave my old life behind, but it felt right. It had been about a month, maybe less. And I rarely regretted it.

I was gonna be late for school. Damn, I hadn't been late since I started, and I was a top student already. As I arrived at school I saw a familiar face. What was he doing here? Shit.

"Hey! There you are! You have no idea how hard it was to find you man! Hahaha!"  
"Dammit, Renji, how the hell did you find me here!" I was enraged. After all my efforts to rid myself of that world, he still tracked me down.  
"Don't worry, it don't really matter. Ya dumbass."He leaned up against my car.  
"Whaddya mean dumbass?"  
"Are you serious? Dude, you are so screwed up in the head. Never had doubted that before, but now it's just that much more _obvious_."  
"What the hell are you talking about? I am not a dumbass, you bastard-"  
"Listen up, k? And don't interrupt me!" I was about to yell at him some more. I had learned some new words, living in the big city that I wouldn't mind using on him. But the way he looked at me told me to shut up. "Ok. Rukia, a soul. You, a human with no spiritual powers what-so-ever. Now, Tatsuki knows me, correct?"  
"Ya, jerk. How else would she have been able to beat the shit outta you everyday?" This was useless. What was he talking about, anyways?  
"AAANNNNDDDD Tatsuki has little to no spiritual powers. How do you suppose she saw me/beat me up? Or, maybe, how do you think you're seeing me right now?" He looked at me like it was a rhetorical question, which it was. Duh, a gigai. Just like all the other souls when they visited the World of the Living. This way, he could attend school and people could see him. See… him… OH!  
Dammit Ichigo, you baka!  
"Renji, I- I have to go-"He knew I got it now. He wore a smug smile on his face I would have loved to rip off his stupid face, but I was busy. "Where is she? Where's Rukia?"  
"In Soul Society, where else?"  
"Well, what the hell are you waiting for? Go get her! Tell her! She could be here in. like an hour!" I could feel my heart beating faster than usual, at my anticipation of seeing her very soon.  
"Why. Would. I. Do. That?" He drew out every word slowly, teasing me. The world stopped spinning a little bit. Something flashed through my mind…

_::Flashback::  
We were laughing. One of the few times we weren't bickering.  
"Haha. Hey, hey. Did you know that Renji loves me?" Rukia was smiling, but I could tell she was being serious.  
"What? You're crazy. Renji doesn't love you."  
"Yes, he does." She looked down. "He, He told me he loved me .A few years ago. It was random, he just blurted it out. It was like we were in the academy or something. He started blushing, and he said it again. I didn't know what to do, so I ran. I knew I didn't love him, and nobody had ever said that to me before. So I panicked" We were being very serious now. I didn't like seeing that look in her face. Confusion, regret? No…  
"You know, he might be over you by now!" She looked back up, with that sparkle in her eyes again.  
"Ya! Maybe your right!" I smiled back, happy I could make her happy.  
:: End of Flashback::_

"… You bastard." I was glaring at him, and he still had that stupid, smug smile on his face. "Are you serious? You still love her? No, this isn't love. This is an obsession. If you really did love her…"  
"If I really did love her- what? Huh? Do you know what that's like? _Loving _Someone? I don't think y you do." He crossed his arms and looked away, thinking this was over. Hah, it was far from. When he was still looking away, I tackled him to the ground.  
"YOU BASTARD! WHY WON'T YOU LET HER SEE ME?" We were wrestling and swinging punches, kicks, anything we could.  
"WHY SHOULD YOU? YOU'RE JUST A LOWLY, HUMAN..." We were beating the shit put of each other until the school security came and broke us up. We didn't say anything else; there was nothing else to say. I knew what I was going to do. And I needed to do it _fast._

The bell above the door ringed loudly as I slammed it open.  
"URAHARA! URRRRAAAAHHHAAAARRRRAAAAAAAAA!"  
" He's not here right now." Ururu stood behind the counter, calmly watching me freak out.  
"WHAT? THEN, THEN WHERE IS HE?" My face was frightening her, my look of desperation and anger.  
"In Soul Society. He was asked back to help with some experiment." I was thinking, and thinking fast. Now what, now what… my mind raced through the options. It found nothing that could help me. I was stuck in this world, and Urahara wasn't here. No way to reach that world and no way to know if she figured it out yet. She was smart, she would have thought of it. So, now what? I found myself walking the way home. No one knew I was here yet. I came as fast as I could, barely taking time to pack a bag.  
Now, I had to wait. Somehow, I would wait.


	4. Chapter 4: Done with Depression

Ichigo's POV

After I got home I replayed everything over in my head. Renji, that bastard. What was Urahara was doing in Soul Society, and why did Yorouchi and Tessai go with? Yorouchi wasn't banned like the other two, but it still struck me as odd. And I was sure Renji had something to do with the lack of contact available to Urahara. He was one step ahead of me already, and I didn't like it. He knew I would go straight to the shop, so he got there first. Damn, I wish I still could use shunpo.

Rukia's POV

After we expertly snuck in to the back of the meeting hall, we sat down and listened in. Soutaicho, Hitsugaya-taicho and Nii-sama were all at the front with their lieutenants, standing tensely. They appeared to be arguing. Hisagi-fukutaicho stepped in to break it up.

"STOP! We don`t have time to be bickering like petty idiots! We need to come up with a plan, and _listen _to Soutaicho." Hisagi gestured for Yamamoto to continue, unhindered.

"Thank you." He looked older for some reason, strained. "In the absence of Mayuri-taicho I have ordered our previous twelfth captain to help us."

That kind of surprised me. Urahara was allowed back into Seiretei? The crowd murmured restlessly to themselves.

Then I remembered. Oh, right. Aizen had confessed to the whole Hollow experiment thing under torture, and Urahara and Tessai's ban had been lifted. I saw both Tessai-san and Yorouchi-sama sitting off to the side, watching.

"He has agreed to aid us in the search for a way to reinstate Kurosaki Ichigo's spiritual power." I instinctively cringed from hearing his name, causing a few shinigami around me looked over at me. They had felt my reistu waver. I felt Shunsui-taicho put a hand on my shoulder. It was either to make me feel better or to ensure that I wasn't going to try to run away. Again.

Urahara stepped up to the head of the table and turned to look at us. He wasn't wearing his hat, but he kept the usual clothing. I liked him without his hat… Even if I disliked and distrusted him.

He rubbed the back of his head and chuckled lightly. I could almost feel the nervousness emanating from him. He cleared his throat, and in an attempt to seem professional he stopped smiling and put both hands on the table.

"Thank you. I realize this is a very important meeting, for all of us." He looked right in my direction. "We are all here because of one thing: Kurosaki Ichigo, and the problems in thereof. After much thought, I believe I may have stumbled across an answer." The crowd all gasped and leaned forward expectantly. I noticed a few people with their mouths hanging open, thinking 'How can Kisuke go this long without joking?'and 'Is he serious?' I smiled to myself.

"Soul Society has gone a very long time without Ichigo, and we managed. Every time something or someone poses a threat to us or the human world, we take it down. Now, who here believes Aizen was crazy?" A few people raised their hands, a few cheered. I just kept smiling.

"Yes, he was crazy. And crazy strong. I believe there will never be anything stronger than Aizen Sousuke. And there is no need to bring back Kurosaki-san`s spiritual powers."

A few seconds silence, then:

"WHAT? You're supposed to help us!"

"You're useless!"

"Where's Mayuri-taicho? He'll fix that Ichigo brat!"

Many people were outraged, including myself. It was my turn to yell.

"Stop it! What are all of you talking about?" Everyone turned in my direction, and all eyes were on me. Okay, this is weird. I hadn't really raised my voice, but I _was _standing on the table. Which I guess is sort of an attention grabber. After being shut away so long they didn't expect me to come at all. I cleared my throat.

"Urahara is the most _brilliant_ scientist to ever walk either world. Even if he`s annoying. Really annoying." I paused to take a breath. "Really, really, _really_ annoying. And he may not be as experienced as Ukitake-taicho or Shunsui-taicho, but he's smart. And if he says there won't ever be any danger stronger than Aizen or one that we can't face without... him... " _Ichigo_ _"..._then, then we don't... need... him..." My voice turned to a whisper, and sudden tears raced down my face. It was true. They didn't need him. Soul Society would survive. They were only panicking, being big babies. Me, on the other hand…

I turned to run away. I was proud of myself, I had lasted that long. The tears were coming faster, faster, turning rapidly into sobs. _Dammit! What the hell is wrong with you?_

My feet pounded against the ground, tears drying on my cheeks. Through my blurred vision, though, I saw Renji, leaning against the barracks. He was smirking. Why… he, he knew this is what was going to happen! He practically planned it. That bastard.

I knew he stilled loved me, of course. Only it was turning in to an obsession. I had felt his reistu by my door everyday for the last two months. I had been convinced he was spying on me and so I spoke with Ukitake-taicho. He had said that he knew nothing of the sort, and never noticed him around me. The bastard must have mastered some type of light bending kidou to be able to do that.

I ran hard, nearly reaching my quarters before my foot caught on something and I pitched forward, hands reaching out instinctively to break my fall. Pushing myself up, I forced myself to run again. Tripped, felt my head connect with a hard surface. Swallowed a yelp as hands suddenly grasped at me, big and strong, digging into my shoulders, pulling me up with liquid strength. It felt like I was being dragged across the dusty wood. Then, abruptly, they released me and I dropped like an anvil. My head hit the floor with a resounding crack! Dazed, I thought I heard footsteps running away from me, and then towards me.

"Rukia! Are you okay? Rukia…" Their voice was fading, blood pounding in my ears. I must have really done something to my head. How pathetic of me…

"I've got the answer. I know what I have to do now…" And then the blackness took me.

Light cracked into my room, warming my face. I shot up like a rocket, groggy and confused. What the hell…?

My eyes wandered to the table beside my bed. A glass of water sat there, half-full. Gratefully, I wrapped my fingers around it and poured the cool drink down my throat. Ukitake-taicho must have put it there.

What had happened? A dull throbbing pounded through my head, a scab crusting along the side.

"Good morning! Rukia-chaaa~aann! You were rather naughty last night, running away from the meeting! And yelling at all those nice people…" I cried out helplessly as the voice boomed loud in my ears. Shunsui-taicho! And... was he drunk? Why yes, yes he was. Shock. Amazement.

The captain stumbled lazily towards my window, hands pressing against the sill. Suddenly, he doubled over and vomited over the edge. I felt my stomach twist a little. Eeww. But the mandatory disgust was distant. Last night was coming back to me in surges, now. A small smile quirked at my lips, the first in a long time. I had a lot to do.

I summoned two hell butterflies, each conveying a separate message for two different people. That done, I went outside to wait for their arrival, especially that of a certain blond's. I had something I wanted to tell him…

Ukitake-taicho emerged suddenly from my room with a sigh. "Hello, Rukia-chan," he greeted politely when he saw me. "How's the head?"

"Fine," I answered, not really caring. "Is Shunsui-taichou doing alright?"

My captain sighed and sat down on the damp grass. "If dead to the world counts as alright, he couldn't be better. I told him not to have that last drink..."

We made polite conversation, and waited.

After a few minutes the first person arrived. Ise Nanao, here to pick up her taicho. Who was lying passed out in my room. At eight in the morning. I shook my head in exasperation.

"Thank you, Rukia-chan." With those curt words she walked confidently into my room. A few smacks and a grumbled reply followed by more smacks and an loud _oof! _later, Ise-fukutaicho and Shunsui-taicho stumbled out of the room. He was slung over her shoulder, and I marveled at the strength of the little Nanao. Or maybe she was just used to it. I wouldn't be surprised.

They left, and Ukitake-taicho and I sat down for a cup of tea. Before we could even take a sip, however, the door burst open, revealing a frazzled looking blond.

"Sorry I'm late. I forgot my way and the hell butterfly didn't wait." He looked as though he had just stumbled out of bed, something I'm almost positive he did indeed do. The obvious sex-hair kind of gave it away.

"Urahara, sit down," I said calmly. He looked at me surprised, as though he expected something different. But he sat down gingerly nonetheless. He was sore, it seemed. I chuckled to myself, but composed my face right away. There was no time to waste.

"I need a gigai. _Now_." I had lost mine; Kon had probably stolen it. I shuddered a little at the thought.

Urahara looked at me, and slowly a smile grew on his face.

"I thought you'd never ask."

**Hope you liked it. I'll be updating once-a-weekish from now on unless my muse decides to beat me with a stick. So it's not really up to me. REVIEW. BTW THIS STORY IS NOW BEING BETA-READ BY THE MOST AWESOME PERSON OF LIFE, KAKASHI'S BITCH. Head down to her profile and check out her stories.**


	5. Chapter 5: 'Insert Title Name Here'

**Disclaimer: Still a no. *sniffle* I promised myself I wouldn't cry…**

**Okay to clear a few things up: Mayuri is in Hueco Mundo still, cuz he's weird and creepy and I don't need him. Also Rukia is going to get less OOC now because she's over her depressed stage. **

Rukia's POV

"I thought you'd never ask." His cheesy grin coupled with that reply kind of threw me off balance a bit.

"…What? Are you saying you knew this and yet you…. I, hate, you…" I felt anger, yet I knew I couldn't kill him because he was the only one who could help me. I needed a new gigai, and I couldn't make one on my own.

He threw his head back and laughed. "Of course I knew that! Ahahaha! Half of Seiretei knew it! Silly Rukia!" Wow. I must have been so depressed and stupid, well, I was depressed and stupid. But now I was over it. I had been really childish. I wish I could go back in time and slap myself. _Hard._

"It strikes me as odd, Rukia. You're so intelligent, and you never thought of it. It was like someone tried to keep you from thinking of it." The second the words were out of his mouth my mind flashed to Renji, and the reistu I had felt. I figured it was a kido type spell to stop my emotions from changing. I'd heard of it once before, but I never thought he would go this far… When he found out his plan wouldn't work once I left for the World of the Living, he decided to, to, well I didn't know yet. I knew it wasn't over yet though.

"Urahara. We need to leave. For the World of the Living. NOW." I grabbed the sleeve of his coat and started to run outside.

"Wait a minute Rukia. What are you-"

"No time. Send a hell butterfly to Yorouchi and tell her to keep an eye on Renji." I was making a gate as we spoke.

"But why…" He seemed genuinely puzzled. Oh, right.

"I'll explain to you later. We need to get to your shop. Renji doesn't want me to leave." I looked around to make sure no one was watching, and I pulled us through the gate just as the hell butterfly flew away. Here we go…

Ichigo's POV

I knew I couldn't just sit around, that wasn't like me. I needed to do something. I always acted on instinct, and it was always to protect. I protected my sisters from that hollow. I protected Rukia when everyone, even her brother, wanted to kill her. I protected everyone in this damn town, and gave up my powers to do so. So what was I protecting now? I guess Rukia, though she was in no danger, and myself, hell I practically kill myself every damn day to fight. This wasn't like me. But I had to do _something._

I was half asleep when someone knocked on my door. Or pounded it down. Literally, down to the floor.

"MY SON! COME EAT SUPPER! ARE YOU SAD BECAUSE RUKIA IS NO LONGER AROUND?" Then he leaned down really close, and stage whispered in my ear "Because I think you're… _lone-ly_… if you know what I mean! It only makes sense. She leaves, you're not gettin any any more… naturally you'd need to spend time alone to-" CRACK_…_

I walked away, leaving my dad in my room to tend to his broken nose.

"MASAKI! OUR SON DOESN'T LOVE MEEEE! IT'S NOT MY FAULT HE'S NOT GETTING ANY!" I blushed with anger a little as I entered the kitchen. Yuzu cooked pancakes for supper. I didn't mind. I loved her cooking. After a silent, for the first time in the history of the Kurosaki's, supper, I thanked Yuzu, hugged her and Karin, and said I was going for a walk.

I thought about a lot on my walk. How I was thinking of moving back here. Of how I wound up on the school roof. And about Rukia. It was the first time in a while I had allowed myself to, and I realized I could be a big boy and grow up. Just as I was rememorizing her face, Urahara stepped out of nowhere. Literally.

"Good Afternoon, Kurosaki-kun! Have I got news for you! Oh wait, here comes a hell butterfly!" I looked around, even though I knew I couldn't see it.

"Oh, this is bad… Kurosaki-kun, I'm afraid we must go." With a simple flashstep he was gone again. Weird. And who was we? Whatever. At least he was back so I could talk to him... wait. I paused for a moment to consider how dumb I had gotten.

"URAHAARRRAAAAA! GET YOUR ASS BACK HERE!" Nope, he wasn't coming back here. I went to the shop as fast as I could, but he wasn't there. Jinta was in front of the shop, just closing.

"Can't you tell me when he'll be back?"

"He didn't say. All he said was 'If Kurosaki-kun comes here, tell him I'll be back as soon as I can. There was an emergency or something and they had to go back. Or something.' Is that all you needed?"

"No. Give him a message for me." I really shouldn't have said some of those words to him, and by the look of his face he was kinda scared. I would be scared to if I was Urahara right now.

Rukia's POV

He looked like he always had. Scowling, obnoxious, and pissed. I laughed to myself. Urahara understood my fears now, and didn't trust Renji any more than I did. He was about to tell him everything, and be like my translator of sorts without telling him I was there. I made him swear. Then the hell butterfly came, but I couldn't tell what it said.

"Oh this is bad… Kurosaki-kun, I'm afraid we must go." What the hell? He grabbed my shoulder and we shunpo-ed away. After a quick stop at the shop, he said we had to go back to soul society.

"What? Why? We should tell Ichigo what's going on first…"

"It's Renji. That hell butterfly was from Yorouchi. While she was being sneaky cat-like she watched as he went by your door and he didn't feel your reistu. So he tore into the room and spazzed out. Yorouchi said to come quick. She's gonna meet us there."

"DAMNIT! This can't be good…" We were there, and Yorouchi approached us hurriedly.

"Follow me, he broke into the 12th division barracks. No one noticed, he slipped into the lab. Urahara you should better train your guards…" Damn. He could get anything in there. He could blow up half of Seiretei before we got there.

"Well we can't all be from the second division Special Ops now can we?" Smack.

"Focus!"

We slowed down as we approached not wanting him to know we were there. With Yorouchi up to speed she decided we should capture him for questioning.

"Good idea. We split up. Attack from all sides and-"

"Wait! I have an idea. I go out, pretending to have been looking for him. Then I lure him outside where you can attack this way he'll be off guard."

"It might work, but Rukia it's too dangerous… he's a mad man. He could kill you!" Yorouchi looked at me, then back to Urahara.

"He won't kill me. Why would he do that? He's been holding me hostage from the world for weeks. He won't kill me." With that I walked out into the open, letting my reistsu go a little. His heads snapped around to me. His eyes are full of anger, them they turn sickenly sweet.

"Rukia, darling! Where have you been?" As he slowly approached me I took small steps back.

"What do you mean? I was looking for Urahara. He wasn't upstairs so I came down here..." I saw the disbelief in his eyes, he knew I was lying. "Will you walk me back to my rooms?"

He couldn't say no, that's where he's wanted me to be all along.

"Of course!" He quickly overtook me and grabbed my arm. Tight. I notice Yorouchi sitting on the roof with a dart in her hands. I blinked and she disappeared... Renji tried small talk, never letting me go.

"Rukia, would you like to come to the sake house with me before we go to your house?" He stopped, and fell over very nearly taking me with him. That dart in his neck might have had something to do with that. I look up and Urahara had summoned some of his guards and ordered them to take him to the Maggots Nest.

In a flash Renji had the two guards down, both bleeding badly. What the hell? Shit! The dart didn't work!

He turned on Urahara, who pulled out Benihime from his cane. He blocked all his blows on the defense. He tries to land a blow on Renji, but he's on a rampage.

"SHIBARI, BENIHIME!" Suddenly a net is formed out of the tip of Benihime, and it restricts Renji's movements. Only a second later he breaks free of it, and slices in a downwards movement cutting Urahara slightly before he blocks and pushes him into the wall.

"Mae, Sode No Shirayuki." Renji doesn't notice me, until a circle of ice forms around his feet. He pushes away, and Yorouchi tries to knock him out. He glows a bright red then Yorouchi is thrown back from his rise in spirit power.

"Ban… Kai."

**Sorry it's so short and for the horrible delay. I was waiting for my beta-reader but I fired her because she was too slow. Obviously. XD**

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	6. Chapter 6: The Final Chapter

**I totally understand if you all hate me. I kinda hate myself too for not updating this story. I have been working on other short stories though, as you may or may not have seen. If not, check them out.**

**I've decided to end this story in one chapter. I've got a four page plot-line for a new story, and I'm still working on it. Check out my profile for more info.**

**Enjoy the End!**

Rukia's POV

"_Mae, Sode No Shirayuki." Renji doesn't notice me, until a circle of ice forms around his feet. He pushes away, and Yorouchi tries to knock him out. He glows a bright red then Yorouchi is thrown back from his rise in spirit power. _

Dammit, I missed and Renji was standing before us, head down. I remembered training with him, and I know his powers inside out. His stance reawakened an old memory from days gone past.

"_Rukia! You'll never guess what just happened!" I stood there, waiting for him to tell me. He said nothing, just looked at me with his excited-puppy face._

"_Weeellllllll… what is it?" He jumped in the air then grabbed my arm and dragged me outside. "What the hell, Renji? Just tell me!" I hadn't seen him this excited since we got accepted into the academy. I was getting a little excited too._

"_Watch!" I started to protest but he held his hands into the air, silencing me. I put my hands up in defeat, and sat on the grass. What was left of it anyways. The training grounds of the academy were kind of, worn._

_I watched Renji in interest. He stood his back to me, his head down. He took out his sword, and my eyes widened. Did he really… _

"_Ban… Kai."_

"Ban… Kai."

Aw, shit.

He had a long distance zanpaktu. Yorouchi and Urahara knew this, so they back-flipped and shunpo-ed out of range. I knew that wouldn't work, so I tried a different tactic.

I decreased the distance between us. He didn't notice me because he was firing Zabimaru at Yorouchi as she shun-poed in a circle around him just out of range. She was distracting him. His mind was in a haze, he wasn't himself. I suppressed my reistsu, sealed my zanpaktu and sneaked closer, always staying behind his back. I didn't want to hurt him. He was still my friend after all. Yorouchi and Urahara had no such qualms. Already Urahara had landed a strike on his shoulder, and he was bleeding. Urahara seemed fine.

I jumped on his back, and was quick to execute my plan.

"Renji, I need you to listen to me." I kept my voice soft, and he jumped at the contact not expecting me. He turned to strike, but I clung to his back too tightly.

"Listen, Renji. Calm. Down…" He was still turning and striking, but he was slowing down. He stopped and looked ahead, his head held high. His breathing was labored.

"You have to stop this. You're being unreasonable. I know you love me, but I don't love you. I love Ichigo. You can't stop the world from changing. You can only control what is in your power," By now he had thrown his sword to the ground which was quickly confiscated by Urahara. Yorouchi left to go get some backup. Bu I didn't notice any of this. I jumped off his back, and turned him to face me. He looked over my head, never actually looking at me. "Please Renji, just look at me."

His eyes flicked down, and then slowly rose till they met mine. He looked scared, and now that all the anger had left him, he looked vulnerable, but still on guard. His eyes always did betray his feelings like a book.

"Thank you…" I manage a weak smile and he bear-hugs me. I feel hot tears on my shoulder and he silently cries. I notice the large group of guards encircling us. Renji whispers in my ear.

"Thanks." He gets pulled from me and he shows no resistance. It's like he's given up. It pains me to see him like this, but there's nothing I can do for him.

The guards leave and only Urahara, Yorouchi and I are left in the basement of the 12th division lab. Yorouchi puts a comforting hand on my shoulder before leaving.

"Rukia, you should get some sleep. Come, I'll take you back."

"Thank you, Urahara-taicho. But I'll be fine." I leave him alone in his basement. I'm not ten feet from the door and walking under the skies when I hear "Eureka!" I giggle to myself, and walk the rest of the way home replaying the last hour's scenes in my head. I hadn't expected to sleep as well as I did that night.

In the morning Urahara came to see me.

"I have good news for you, Kuchiki-san!" I look over at him, giving him a death glare. It didn't stop him at all. Maybe I was losing my touch.

"Yes ma'am! I have something for you! Close your eyes!" I cross my arms and face him, but I didn't close my eyes. Not when I was around him. He jumped around like he had to pee and pleaded till I complied.

"TAA-DAAAAH!" I open my eyes, and I get a face full of boobs. My boobs. I didn't have boobs. It took me a minute till I realized I was looking at my gigai, and that Urahara made some "modifications."

I didn't have boobs.

I sweat dropped, then took the gigai and stormed out. I was ecstatic that I was finally going to see Ichigo, not so much about the new, you know.

"AREN'T YOU GOING TO SAY THANK YOU? I DID IT FOR YOURS AND ICHIGOS LOVE LIFE—" I threw the closest thing that I could get my hands on, and that happened to be a large book. It hit him square in the nose.

"PERVERT!"

Later that day I slipped into my gigai and went to the world of the living. My hands were sweating and clammy, and I couldn't breathe. Was I, nervous? I was never nervous. Well, hardly ever.

I approached his door. I lay my hand on it, just feeling and remembering when I used to live there and all the good memories. Doing laundry, cooking, and when I threw Ichigo a surprise birthday party. I laughed to myself and was about to open the door when I hesitated. Should I knock? I wasn't sure then I heard a sound above me to the left, the sound of a window opening. I flattened myself against the house. I looked over, and I briefly saw orange hair zipping back into the room. What… I leaned forward slowly, and apparently he had the same idea. We stared at each other for a couple of seconds, when both of our faces break out into immediate smiles.

Ichigo's POV

Nothing was happening today. I sat in my room just like any other day. I was bored out of my mind and I decided to open the window and I leaned out of it, like I always do. The air smelled so fresh, it reminded me of… I saw movement and my head snapped down to the door. I saw her, and I quickly leaned back in. Wait, that's not right. I couldn't see ghosts… Slowly I leaned forward again and there she was. The one I'd been missing all these months. Both our faces break out into grins, and I turned to run downstairs. She met me halfway and we embraced each other for the first time in what felt like years. I inhaled her scent, crushed her to me and laughed in disbelief. She giggled too, and we look into each others eyes. I was about to kiss her, we were leaning in for the crucial moment, when a loud booming voice echoed in my ears and in the caves on the other side of Karakura.

"RUKIAAAA-CHHAAAAANNN! OUR THIRD DAUGHTER HAS RETURNED!" He lifted her up in the air and spun her around crushing her almost in half.

"DAD STOP YOU'RE HURTING HER!" But Rukia only laughed. He put her down and Yuzu ran into her arms, crying as well. Only not quite as boisterous and faked as Goat-face. He was rolling on the ground sobbing. I kicked him in the balls and he only cried harder. Rukia and Yuzu were talking.

"Rukia! You came back?" She threw her head back and laughed.

"Of course I did, silly! I couldn't be gone forever!" She hugged Karin's shoulders whose smile seemed genuine.

I just leaned against the wall and wait for the tearful reunions to be done with. Goat-face recovered and he herded the girls away telling them "Ichigo needs to be with Rukia _alone _now. He hasn't gotten laid in months-"

Rukia and I both threw something at him, and we both had dead on accuracy. Karin and Yuzu had to carry him away, and they decided they needed fresh air and left for a walk. I stand alone in the living room with her. I noticed something was a bit different, but couldn't quite put my finger on it. She must have noticed my confusion so she saved me the trouble.

"It was Urahara's fault to add the boobs. I could've made him change them, but that would've taken too long…" Now that she said it, they did kinda stand out. I chuckle and walk to her, taking her in my arms. She was home now.

Rukia's POV

He walked towards me, and I ran into his arms again. His smile was so beautiful, and not many people got to see it. We kissed, and spent the next few hours talking, and doing, uh, other things. After all, we hadn't seen each other in months.

When the Isshin and the girls return, we eat supper and laugh just like the old days.

**4 MONTHS LATER**

We stand together, awaiting the trial's hearing. Ichigo stands beside me. They never did succeed in finding a way to regain his powers, but Urahara worked extra hard on a special gigai that allows his human body to become a soul for a temporary time. He was working on one to last indefinitely, but it wasn't complete yet. At best, it could last two hours. If worn too long, the gigai would absorb him and he would become a normal soul for good.

It was worth risking it for this. I wanted him to be with me when they read Renji's trial results. The whole room was quiet, the air was tense. Finally, someone spoke.

"Welcome to trial 349826, Abarai Renji. He is being charged with the following accounts; 2 murders in the first degree, Using Kido for inappropriate reasons, attacking without proper provocation. How does the jury find?"

I clutched to Ichigo's arm. I knew they're going to call him guilty, which was very true. I just didn't want to believe the last few months really happened. He tightens his grip on me. I closed my eyes, not wanting to watch.

"On the charge of murders in the second degree we find the defendant, guilty. On the charge of using Kido for inappropriate reasons we find the defendant, guilty. On the charge of attacking without provocation we find the defendant, guilty."

I knew it had been coming, but I still couldn't stop the sob that made its way out of my throat.

"Abarai Renji, I hereby sentence you to 200 years in the Maggots Nest. Adjourned." With that final crack of the mallet, I broke down and Ichigo had to take me out.

"I'll do it, Ichigo. You're right." The first night I had been back he proposed that I come back to live in the human world, for good. I hadn't been sure, but there was too much in Soul Society that I couldn't take anymore. Knowing that Renji was going to be spending the next few hundred years in jail, I knew I couldn't stay there. He looked at me and smiled. I smiled back, and I knew we were going to live a long and happy human life together.

I had decided to keep my new "modifications." They kinda grew on me after a while. Ichigo didn't seem to mind…

**EPILOGUE**

_Excerpt From The Best-Selling Fictional "Where Home Is" By Kuchiki Rukia._

"I never regretted doing what I did. I visited Renji a few times, but never got to see him free again while I was alive. I gave up my powers as a shinigami and lived as a human for the rest of my life like Isshin did.

Ichigo and I died in a car accident at an old age. Our children were old enough to live on their own, and we still miss them. Now we are living in the first district of Rukongai as normal souls. Having ties to the Gotei Thirteen had its advantages.

When Renji was released we were all there to greet him. Now he has retained his position as lieutenant under Nii-sama. I'm happy for him. I'm happy everything worked out.

I'm home now."

**Well that is a nice long chapter for you. Review and let me know what you think. Apologies if there's anything about the court ruling I got wrong. I'm not a lawyer; I learned all I know from Law and Order. XD **

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